The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-04-21
THE LATE GEN. LOVE.
Something Further About the Flag Captured at
Cedar Greek.


Second (McMilan's) Brigade, First Division,
Nineteenth Corps; then the First Brigade, FIRST
Division, Nineteenth Corps, in the following
order, from right TO left: l53d n. u, 9Oth n.
Y, 29th Me-, 10th N. Y. 30th Mass ll4th n.
Y. The brigade was commanded on that day
by Col. Davis, Of the l53d n. Y, and j give the
following extract from the History OF the lst,
10th and 29th Me. Regiments" by Maj. Gould'
at that time A. A. A.-G. on the brigade stan, an
intelligent gentleman, who had good facilities
for knowing the truth, and was very cautious
IN his statements:
little before O'Clock we received orders 10 pre-
pare 10 advance. Col. Davis was told TO : keep up
a constant touch 20 the left" Our charge
was along the top of wooded ridge, but a lew
minutes brought our brigade out OF The unoef iiI'o
a clearing, in which were troops far down ahe
slope 10 our left. The enemy was finely posted IN
road behind walls and fences on the other slae Oh
the clearing. This was not nj all inviting Dut Tue
sight 10 our left WAS almost disheartenlhg. ihe
Second Division (Grover's) was there nj bay. lhey
had reached the clearing moment ahead ol US
y As Tar as we could see there was not IeEi,s
ment moving ahead, except those in Tie lslt oi
Birge's Brigade tSecOnd, of Second Division, Nine
teenth Corps, next 20 the left of us) while hls en-
tre right was falling back, exposing tue eil o our
brigade. The whole charge appeared 10 nave
failed-io have been rcpulsed almost at the begln-
ming.
Sl further 10 the left and front we could sec the
smoke from the rebel lines and hear their !ells.
ON our right the prospect was fully dismal since
the Union. We could see one Tag IN particular
waving defiance at Mcmillan. That General was
mounted aud galiantly leading his two little skele-
tons 18th VI and l60th n. W but the rebels Win
commendable prOmptness swung their overlap
ping force apparently brigade, probably Evans y
by full right wheel. and poured "A tremendous hre
upon our poor friends flank. They could not VIII
stand il; their right fell back trie aud their LETT
still pressing on. they soon were faced nearly Al
right angles TO the line OF advance They fought
splendidly, but they could not unRided, carry out
Sheridan a advance
the enemy's left
Directly in front also the situation Of the rebels
was all that could be asked for they were behind
stone wall, aud apparently their lines were coniin-
uous. The 1881 n. v being the right OF the bri-
gade, suffered severely ia common with MeMii,
lan's men, aud the right companies were compelled
30 halt and face the Ranking party of rebels. The
Goth N. v had great deal Of trouble from ats re-
cruiis. Our own regiment which came next, had
momentary benefit of the shelter of n clump oi
woods which projected into the clearing, but once
out of these woods we found ourselves the iarthest
10 the front of ali the corps, exposed to the HANK
fire which was so whitening 20 Mcmillan, and also
the best target for the rebels directly Ia our front
We discharged our muskets at the latter, and had
the satisfaction OF seeing them duck their heads
aud keep quiet a second. Excepting this crawling
movement in the center of our brigade aud IN one
or two regiments Of Birge, the advance had been
checked both right and LEFT, everywhere thai we
could see.
Our hurrahng stopped and the rebels took mp
their yell just where we left OF. I" The right
man in the right place was needed just here, and
pretended the situation and saw that the battle
depended ON the good behavior of his brigade
lie sent his staff 10 the other regiments with the
order. Tell them they must go forward! PUSH
them over that fence and make them gol Ihen
taking of hs hHt he dashed his horse into hs Own
regiment (the l53d n. V }. righted the line nlmosi
instantly, compelled them TO cheer once more, and
started the charge.
The 1881 ceased firing ana started with cheers;
the 9Oth could but follow such splendid example,
and with the 29th moved slowly toward the enemy
This was hard work, and although great many
OF the men needed only the command. noticed
that the officers powers were taxed to the utmos
in starting the majority. For this none should he
blamed; all could see that the charge had failed
the right and len. and the prospect of "butting
stone wall lined with rebels" never had an i'm
vting look But from the moment that Col. Davis
put himself at the head of our brigade there nc
doubt that he would succeed.
The hesitation ] have described not Of two
minutes duraton; for soon a. his staff could
bear the order 10 the leit regiments. which were
too far down the hill 10 be much affected by th'
flanSing fire they went forward with a run. break
ing up their organization at the outset Probably
this rush, more than the plucky, bull-doggtsl
| fighting on our right and in the Second Brigade
broke the rebel line. As sosn as the brigade wa
fairly started the rebels in front jumped up. showeC
their backs aud disappeared Ia the woods behins
them. From that moment 10 the end all WAS ex
| citement and success.
In the charge ON Evans's Brigade Col. Davis
horse received two wounds and another ball pierced
the saddle and went on. wounding the Colonel ~
that he could not sit down for "A fortnight. Thes
| Brigade, and our commander naturally turned hi
eyes 10 the right, that he had cleared has front
1 Davis was "a masterhand AT manuvering troops
the best fhink that ever noticed. The move
! ment which followed shows that he Ii an officer O
unusual talent, for quicker than can write IL Ia
halted the brigade swung 10 the right aud -tarte
il ON the run 10 help Mcmillan clean out" Evans
| and the way those Graybacks vanished and wen
running down the hill for Cedar Creek was "A sigh
| 10 behold.
Whether the 3Oth Mass, the regimen
! on the left of the ll6th N. Y, broke an
went to the rear / do not know; il WASH
like them TO run when any other troops coul'
| or would stay, but the 10th should not hav
all the credit for what the brigade did, an
from the time that Col. Love took command {
the ll6th that day, no movement was made b
il except in conjunction with the entire br
gade, aud the other regiments could get, or sta
anywhere that the ll6th could or did. As {
the capture Of that rebel flag by Col. Low
there is another side 10 il.
Lieut.. L. ID. Stacy, then A. A. Provost MAJ
shall, First Brigade, First Division. Nineteent
Corps, gives the following account of the cap
ure Of the rebel flag referred to:
Soon after our several charges upon the rebel lin
in our front and upon their thanking party on OF
| right. discovered "A rebel making his way Rcro
the field at our right and toward the creek wit
| what took 10 be flag under his arm. He va
accompanied by two or three stragglers who ha
thrown away their arms and were making the be
time possible 10 the rear. put spurs to my hor
and gave chase. but soon came 20 ditch, which "a
horse al first refused TO While was uTgiT
my horse 10 cross the ditch Col. Love, of the li6
N v. rode up and attempted TO cross, Dut his hor
also refused To leap the ditch.
At length rode "A little farther 20 the right al
found "A more favorable place aud succeeded
getting over Col Love followed, and bO
made for the Gag the best that could. / was
little ahead. aud first seized the flag and wrcnch'
ID from the firm grasp of Tie rebel. Just at tl
I moment Col Love came up disnouuted and sCiz
hold Of the flag aud ordered me To let him have
3 which refused 10 do until hc told me that shou
have IL again. He took the flag aud separate
aud IL was half an hour or more before saw hi
Q again, and lac then gave me the flag, and cnui
Il fastened upon my saddle The remainder Of q
day.
Ancr our return 10 the old Campground abo
Z dark that evening, dismouHtcd aud sat down
j. / rest but in a few moments orders came for o
brigade TO move out 10 the front ana form pick
. line across the valley. ON looking for my hor
: which had been left standing near by he could n
Z bc found. Horse, flag and ail had gone together
!. Some three days atterward, by diligcnt search
, found the dag iu the possession of Colonel la q,
d I Wheaton's Division. Sixth Corps and recovered
q aud turned il over 10 Col. Davis then ia comma
y Of the First Brigade First Division Ninctcol
= / Corps.
d II. A. TRIPP. 29th Me- First Brigade, FL
= Division Nineteenth Corps, Bluchill, Me.
j. Wrongful Use Of Badges.
!, A bin has passed both Houses Of the Mic
o..ilIaH4r il 4urgftftttv fl,o